SOUTH CAROLINA vs ARKANSAS
- Saturday, October 20th
- Carolina Natatorium/Blatt PE Center, Columbia, SC
- Short Course Yards
- Results
TEAM SCORES
- South Carolina – 168
- Arkansas – 132
South Carolina took 9 events out of 16 on Saturday, October 20th in Columbia, SC. South Carolina freshman Kate Sanderson picked up the Gamecocks’ first win of the meet with a quick 9:53.79, taking the event by a whopping 13 seconds. Fellow freshman Melinda Novoszath then posted a 1:49.54 to win the 200 free by 2.5 seconds.
South Carolina’s Emma Barksdale (senior) posted a speedy 1:01.58 to win the 100 breast, out-pacing the field by over 2 seconds. Barksdale also swam a 2:13.61 to win the 200 breast by a wide margin. In perhaps her fastest swim of the meet, Barksdale won the 200 IM by over 5 seconds, swimming a 1:58.87. She also split 50.82 to anchor the South Carolina 400 free relay, which came in 2nd. Barksdale interestingly was on the 400 free relay instead of the 200 medley, where she likely could have posted the fastest breast split in the field.
Hallie Kinsey, South Carolina freshman, swept the butterfly events. In the 200 fly, Kinsey swam a 1:58.79 to touch as the only swimmer under 2:00. Teammate Novoszath came in 2nd with a 2:00.43. Kinsey then swam a 54.35 to win the 100 fly, edging out junior teammate Christina Lappin (54.51).
Arkansas’ Anna Hopkin continued to post impressive times this fall. First Hopkin anchored the 200 medley relay in 21.80, ovetaking South Carolina’s Lappin (22.40), to secure the win for the Razorbacks. Hopkin’s best time this season, 22.29, is currently 5th in the nation. Then Hopkin swam a 49.11 to win the 100 free, which is slightly off her season best of 48.88. She then split 48.99 on Arkansas’ ‘A’ 400 free relay, which touched in a final time of 3:22.83.
PRESS RELEASE – SOUTH CAROLINA:
COLUMBIA, S.C.- South Carolina women’s swimming and diving topped No. 23 Arkansas 168-132 on Saturday afternoon at the Carolina Natatorium/Blatt PE Center. The Gamecocks tallied nine total event wins on the afternoon and an additional 19 top-three finishes on the way to their first dual-meet win of the season.
“I think this is who we are. As a women’s team, that is who we are,” said head coach McGee Moody.
Emma Barksdale swept the breast stroke events on the day and also won the 200 IM for a second week in a row. “Every week she is establishing herself as one of the best swimmers, not just one of the top IMers, but one of the top swimmers in the nation,” said Moody. “She is a team leader and execution-wise, she put up three near perfect races today,” explained Moody.
The Gamecocks were also the beneficiary of a number of points from their underclassmen as true freshmen, Kate Sanderson, Hallie Kinsey and Melinda Novoszath each tallied multiple top-three finishes for South Carolina.
Sanderson was the lone swimmer to break the 10-minute mark in the 1000 free finishing atop the field at 9:53.79. “She wrecked this week in training and her confidence is continuing to grow,” explained Moody. Sanderson also finished just over a second off the pace in the 500 free while Novoszath took third-place.
“Melinda Novoszath was aggressive today and Hallie Kinsey is one of the best 18-and-under flyers in the world,” continued Moody.
Novoszath earned her first career-win with time of 1:49.54 while Kinsey swept the butterfly events for her first collegiate wins.
Junior Emily Cornell took home first-place in the 200 back (1:59.31) while also swimming the backstroke leg of the Gamecocks winning team in the 200 medley relay.
Up Next for the Gamecocks:
South Carolina men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will hit the road for the first road tests of the season as they visit North Carolina on Friday at 3 p.m.
PRESS RELEASE – ARKANSAS:
COLUMBIA, S.C.- The No. 23 Arkansas swimming and diving team fell 168-132 at South Carolina Saturday afternoon in the team’s road opener. For the second week in a row a Razorback has had a record-breaking performance, with sophomore Brooke Schultz setting the school 3-meter record.
“We competed very well today,” head coach Neil Harper said. “Our times were around the same as last week which is very encouraging. We trained hard this week and I am very excited about the way we fought.”
The Hogs won seven events against the Gamecocks, with Schultz sweeping both diving events. Her 3-meter score of 404.77 set a school record, which she previously set last season.
In the swimming events, Arkansas once again won the 200 yard medley relay. Andrea Sansores earned her first victory as a Razorback in the event, with Sydney Angell, Sarah Dalton Chambliss, and Anna Hopkin completing the team.
Hopkin earned wins in the 50 yard freestyle (22.43) and the 100 yard freestyle (49.11), and Angell earned second-place finishes in the 100 yard backstroke (1:03.81) and the 200 yard backstroke (2:17.37).
Peyton Palsha had three top-2 finishes, beating her time from the season opener (2:07.70) in the 200 yard IM (2:04.08) and winning the 500 yard freestyle (4:52.10).
“South Carolina looked, prepared, focused, and swam their fastest of the year,” Harper continued. “Brooke’s new school record was incredible and it looks like she has stepped it up to even another level. We won seven events on the road in the SEC, so we are building something to be proud of.”
The Razorbacks will return home for more SEC action, hosting Vanderbilt Friday afternoon at 5 p.m.
